The Magic of Love
by Hot-tempered-chan
Summary: One of the only girls her age without a boyfriend. The only boy his age that knew the real meaning of being alone. Exactly in that moment is when the story of this two teens begins. Witness the Magic of Love. NarutoIno  Re-writing
1. Ch1 Naruto

The Magic of Love

Disclaimer: The basic plot of this story is based on a book written by Iliana Prieto called "La Magia del Amor". I do not own this plot. The characters used on this story belong to Masashi Kishimoto-sama.

**The Magic of Love**

**Chapter One**

**Naruto**

Last night I couldn't sleep at all…

I was afraid, afraid of falling asleep and forgetting…

Forgetting that I told them and having to replay that horrible event all over again. To see them, their faces…filled with hatred and fear. They were the only ones that I didn't want to see looking at me like that. Like everyone else.

Tsunade-bachan and Shizune-chan told me that I should rest, to sleep for a while and I told myself that I needed the sleep, but I couldn't get myself to close my eyes. I was tired of crying and my heart of all the loneliness. But I still did not sleep.

No.

If I fell asleep I would've liked it to be forever. To never wake to see their eyes filled with hatred and fear. Like everyone else in the village. But to sleep and wake up, I don't want to.

I've heard people say that men don't cry. But that's a lie. There is nothing wrong with crying. I'm 17 years-old and I am crying.

When you feel sad people don't really know what to tell you. The truth is that it is useless to talk. If you really feel like I do, from deep within your heart, then words are not needed. Normally all you would need is for them to be by your side. Maybe my friends would have said something to comfort me, friends always make you feel better, but I don't have friends… not anymore. They left after I told them, and never turned back. I can steel remember it and I keep replaying it over and over in my mind.

* * *

_There were four ninjas in the training ground where they used to train every day. One of them was leaning on a tree, hands on his pockets, looking at the floor. The other was the only female; she was sitting on the floor with her hands on the green grass and a look of disbelief on her beautiful face. The tallest one was right behind the last member of team seven, a knowing look on his face, one hand on the blonde's shoulder in a supportive way and with the other holding an open orange book, although he was not reading it at that moment._

_"…that newborn child was me. I have the Kyuubi-no-kitsune sealed within me," said Naruto with a worried look on his face, looking down not wanting to see the expressions on the faces of his best friends. "No! That can't be true!" after hearing what Sakura had said, Naruto looked up in hopes that they had accepted him for who he was. But he was very wrong. "I can't believe we've been training with a demon for almost five years. Now I know why my mom wanted me to leave the team without telling me why. Oh my god! Why didn't I listen to her?" '__What?'Naruto asked himself as he felt his hopes hit the bottom of his stomach, hard._

_'__So that is why the dobe is so strong.' "Kakashi, you knew about this and you never said anything! I can't believe you let the demon train with the last Uchiha heir! He could've gone berserk and killed all of us!" The usually calm Uchiha screamed like he seldom does._

_Kakashi stared in disbelief at his former students: two of them so scared and angry at the same time and the third breathing hard under his hand. He squeezed Naruto's shoulder in a form of support __'I should have seen it coming' "Naruto's no different than before and I can assure you he can control the fox just fine, you shouldn't worry about that."_

_"But he's a damned demon he…" _'This cannot be happening'_ "…just leave us alone!" and they walked away never turning back._

* * *

I still can't believe it. What can I do without my friends? I couldn't see them walking away. That's why I cried until I couldn't any more on Kakashi-sensei's shoulder and he never said a word. He really understood how I felt.

I know that Iruka-sensei, Tsunade-bachan, Ero-sennin, Shizune-chan, and Kakashi-sensei are here for me but I can't help but feel sad, alone, betrayed.

Today, three days have passed; the sun hurts my eyes as I lay in y bed looking through the window. It is sunny outside, just like when team seven went on missions together.

I remember a particular mission, in it we had to catch the daimyo's wife lost cat: Tora. And we did, more times than I can remember. I told Iruka-sensei about that mission and he told me something I couldn't understand then.

* * *

_They were sitting on the counter of Ichiraku Ramen stand, Naruto was stuffing down his 6th bowl of ramen, Iruka just sat there admiring his former student's ability to 'breath ramen', as he liked to call it._

_"Ne, Iruka-sensei," asked Naruto with his mouth full. "Why was the cat so desperate to escape? Doesn't he love his owners?" Iruka just looked at him curiously and said "well… may be he wanted to be free." With a confused stare Naruto thought for a second before saying "but, wouldn't being free make him feel alone?" Iruka just sighed and scratched the back of hid head "well, he would feel alone at first, until other hands find him, take care of him, and love him"_

* * *

I remember so well what he said that day. Maybe because now I understand better what he said. Then, it was just a cat, but it is much more painful when your friends leave you. When the invisible wires that kept you together, just snap or disappear. I never wanted to be alone, but maybe Sakura and Sasuke were never meant to be my friends. I need to be found by someone new that will take care of me, accept me for what I am, and love me.

I don't think I can take this any longer I need friends.

Real friends.

After a while of being on my bed I heard a knock on my door. It was Ero-sennin. "Naruto its time for you to get your sorry ass on the training ground, you've been slaking off enough." He seemed angry, but I know he just wants to help.

Training always helps.

A/N: This is my first story. Please tell me what you think.


	2. Ch2 Ino

The Magic of Love

Disclaimer: The basic plot of this story is based on a book written by Iliana Prieto called "La Magia del Amor". I do not own this plot. The characters used on this story belong to Masashi Kishimoto-sama.

**The Magic of Love**

**Chapter Two**

**Ino**

After finishing my shift in the flower shop I decided to go for a walk.

I like to walk aimlessly through the village, searching for something interesting to draw, sometimes animals, sometimes flowers.

I can still remember the first time I went into the forest by myself.

* * *

_A nine-year-old Ino was walking down a path in the old forest of Konoha with her sketch pad under her arm and two different pencils in her hair. _'Oh my God! This is so exiting! The forest is so beautiful.'_ After walking for a while she decided to sit down and sketch some Crocus flowers she had found._

_She was half way through her drawing when she suddenly heard a rustle of leaves to her right. When she turned around she saw the most beautiful fox cub she had ever seen._

_The fox had white fur with a dark purple color on the tips of its tail and ears. Its eyes were the exact same color as the Crocus flowers that she was drawing, almost white in the middle and light purple on the outside._

_At first the fox was afraid, but Ino kept her distance and continued drawing. _'Maybe if it gets used to my presence it won't be that scared.'

_The little cub was curios of Ino so it went near her to smell her and try to see what she was doing. As Ino saw the small fox approaching she slowly extended her hand so it could smell her. "There we go" she muttered as she scratched the little fox under its chin. "Hello there little guy" And just as that, they became inseparable._

* * *

I remember I named him Crocus because of the color of his eyes. Later I found out that the flower meant cheerfulness. I know it is strange to have a fox as a pet, especially here in Konoha. Foxes are taboo for some reason.

Anyway, when Crocus came to the family my parents were a little afraid of him, but they accepted him after a while.

For some reason Crocus is always with me, wherever I go, he goes. When I go to the forest he just sits beside me and sleeps. He never leaves my side, and whenever I want to draw animals he comes to my mind.

I find animals rather interesting. Sometimes they seem funny, others they are looking at something in the horizon, maybe they are thinking of what they did yesterday or what they will do tomorrow, I don't really know. The fact is that whenever I am drawing animals, Crocus comes to my mind.

He is my companion, always by my side.

In the mornings he walks with me to the training ground where I meet with Shika and Chouji. I don't really know where he goes while we are training but he is always there when I finish. I love him. He is my best friend.

After Sakura left me to follow Sasuke around he was the only one there to hear me out. I'll confess a big secret. I'm totally unlucky with men. Weird right? Well its not that I'm ugly, a lot of people tell me I look like a princess, especially my dad. But I have this characteristic that men don't like; I get mad easily. But putting that aside, I haven't really found someone I like. My dad says that right now I need to concentrate on training and maybe on painting too.

Today, as I walk through the village I stop by the academy.

I remember that there was a big tree right outside of the academy. I wonder if it is still there. _'Look there it is! Just as I remember.'_ But today I find myself staring at a boy sitting there. He seems familiar but I can't remember from where I know him. _'Oh, now I remember! He is that troublemaker from the academy. He is on Sakura's team, but I can't seem to remember his name.'_ What I remember is that he was the dead last in our class and that he almost didn't pass the test. He was an idiot. It is a real mystery how he passed.

But now, as I stare at him he looks so different form then. Instead of a happy grin I find myself staring at his big blue eyes and feel trapped in a world of sadness. I wonder what happened to him.

I went back home after that. I can't draw right now, can't get him out of my head. He looked so alone and lost.

I talk to my dad about him and he told me that it was not nice to watch other people's suffering. "But I'm not doing it on purpose, he was just there." "Yes I'm sure you were just passing by, but you shouldn't do it anyway." After that I stand up and begin walking to my room. "Think about this Uzumaki guy, maybe you can help him." _'Oh, that's right, he is Uzumaki Naruto! The must unexpected ninja in Konoha! I can't believe I didn't remember his name! It's been so long since I last talked to him. But I remember him being all goofy and always smiling. Why is he so sad?'_

As I enter my roomand look at Crocus I feel something new within me, a new feeling that was not there before. I feel as if I needed to be his friend, to be right beside him.

"Ino!" _'What does mom want now?'_ "What mom?" "Sakura-chan is here to visit!" "Great mom! Send her up!" _'Awesome, now I have to spend the rest of the afternoon talking about how great Sasuke-kun is'_ I sigh.

"Ino! You won't believe what happened three days ago after training." I instantly turn around to face her while sitting in my bed. "What is it Sakura? Why are you so scared anyway?" she looked really agitated and scared. It was weird to see her that way. I look at her in the eye. "It's Naruto!" _'Naruto?'_ "He's a demon!" "What? A demon?"

It seemed strange. The Naruto I saw a while ago looked nothing like a demon. So I ask her. "What do you mean?" Instantly she takes two or three steps towards my bed. "Well, do you remember the story that was thought to us in the academy about the Yondaime Hokage and the Kyuubi-no-Kitsune?" "Sure, I remember. What does that have to do with this thing about Naruto being a demon?"

This is starting to get really weird. "It has to do everything with him!" Sakura was now shouting and all the things she said about the Yondaime Hokage and the Kyuubi-no-Kitsune and then Naruto was starting to creep me out. "And exactly where does Naruto fit in all this?"

She stopped talking instantly and started walking towards my bed so she could sit beside me. "Ino listen, the Yondaime Hokage was not able to kill the demon, because demons can't be killed by humans." "Well then what did he do?" "Well, he sealed it…" _'What? He sealed the demon? But…'_ Before I could ask her where in the world a thousand year-old, invincible demon could be sealed, she said it.

And I couldn't believe what she said.

"…he sealed it inside of Naruto." "What? That can't be!" "Well it is the truth! And that stupid late ass Kakashi kept Sasuke-kun and me training with a demon for almost five years! What if it had killed us?" Now she was standing up and shouting, looking at me directly in the eye. Crocus got scared of her shouting and hid behind me. But something was wrong about this entire 'Naruto is a demon' thing.

He just can't be.

"Wait Sakura, what are you talking about? The demon is sealed inside of Naruto, is it not?" "Yes! That's what I told you! Weren't you listening to me?" _'Oh my god, I can't believe she actually thinks that Naruto is the demon. She's had three days to think about it and she can't figure it out?'_ "Sakura, calm down" I think you are misunderstanding all this. Just replay what you just told me, the demon is _sealed_ _within_ him, he is not the demon, just some sort of container."

I stood up and take her shoulders with my hands. "For all we know he's been keeping it from killing us all! A ten year old could figure it out." I really thought that the message had been clear, that Naruto was not a demon. But as I stare into her eyes I see her fear and hearted coming back. "He is a demon Ino! He will kill us all. You have to trust me! You can go ask my mom..." She had totally snapped. "Sakura! Listen to me! I don't care what your mom has to say, he is _not_ a demon!" _'Demons don't have feelings'_

"Yes he is! And he will kill us all" She shoved my hands off her shoulders and started taking steps back, toward the door. "Sakura…" "No Ino, he is a demon!" And with that she turned and left.

This is by far the weirdest and craziest day of my life. I go back to my bed and lay in my back. Crocus comes and sits beside me. "What should I believe Crocus? Is he really a demon? Or is he not?" Crocus just looked at me with his big light purple eyes. "Maybe I should find out myself, eh?" I take out my sketch pad from under my pillow and my pencil from the back of my ear. Instantaneously my thoughts went back to Naruto sitting on the lonely swing by the academy. _'Maybe he doesn't have anyone that understands him. Maybe he is alone.'_

Betrayed by his only friends.

I can't imagine what it would feel like… like a tree in the middle of a desert, standing all alone against the hot sun.

I think I'm going to draw now.

A/N: This is my first story. Please tell me what you think.


	3. Ch3 Naruto

Disclaimer: The basic plot of this story is based on a book written by Iliana Prieto called "La Magia del Amor". I do not own this plot. The characters used on this story belong to Masashi Kishimoto-sama.

**The Magic of Love**

**Chapter three**

**Naruto**

Training hadn't been the same. I just couldn't get my heart on it.

It's been a couple of weeks since Ero-sennin came to my door and got me out for training. It was alright; kind of quiet, but it served its purpose.

Distraction.

I started to get used to training with Ero-sennin again, as I had done several times after the long three-year training mission we had together. But just like he came to my door out of nowhere, he left.

I'm guessing he went out for some good research. Anything's better than an afternoon training a depressed teen. Right?

That was several days ago, and I've been training by myself since then. Today wasn't going to be any different.

Or so I thought.

I started my training like every other morning. Doing sit ups, pushups, crunches, and everything I could come up with, until my muscles were burning.

I was so concentrated on my warm up that I almost missed the presence on top of the big oak tree where Ero-sennin always took his afternoon naps.

Almost.

Automatically a kunai was in the air, on its way to the invading presence.

"Ah! Naruto! Are you trying to kill me?"

I knew that voice. The last time I had heard it was the day I told Sakura and Sasuke about the Kyubi.

Instantly all the memories of Team 7 came streaming back to my mind. All the memories, the missions, the successes, the failures.

Everything I was trying to forget came back in a flash.

I tried to push all the streaming memories to the back of my mind as I turned.

"Kakashi? What are you doing here?"

It seemed weird to see him there. Normally team 7 met at ten for group training and didn't stop until after two.

It was noon.

"Well I came to talk to you. What else would I be doing here?"

As he started walking towards me I noticed that he wasn't reading his perverted novel. That only meant that he was going to say something serious. But also, his only eye was curved downwards showing me that he was smiling for some reason.

It was weird.

"Aren't you supposed to be training with team 7?"

"Well, that's the thing, there's no more team 7."

'_What the hell? No more team 7?'_ All the feeling that came with the streaming memories from before quickly were forgotten as I tried to figure out why the hell team 7 was no more.

"What do you mean there's more team 7? Why?"

Kakashi was surprised with my reactions. Maybe he was expecting something different? I really don't know, but after I asked why, he sat down right in front of me and made a gesture with his right hand for me to sit too.

"Why don't' I tell you the story? Come on, sit down, it's quite long."

I hesitated for a moment. _'Do I really want to know what happened? Maybe it was my fault too. Maybe-'_

"Come on Naruto, I really want to tell you the story but if you don't sit down I won't start, and you'll have to treat me to lunch."

I sat down instantly. "What? Why do I have to treat you?"

"Because I'm hungry, and you are making me wait."

"I'm making you wait? In that case you owe me over five years of lunches! You always made us wait at least 40 minutes every day! How many seconds did you wait for me? Five? Six tops!"

He only laughed.

'Bastard.'

"Anyway, I was gonna tell you about team 7. It happened about a week after you introduced the Kyubi to Sakura and Sasuke. It was our first day training without you-

* * *

_As usual Kakashi arrived over 40 minutes late to the bridge where team 7 always met for training and wasn't greeted by the usual 'You're late!' of every day._

_It was weird. So instead of shouting his usual 'Yo' he jumped down and looked around for any signs of the rest of the team. He spotted them, not too far, talking in hushed voices. _

_What he heard was not pleasant._

"_-we trained with a monster every day! Was he out of his mind!? We could be dead by now." _

"_Imagine the power 'it' would have had if he was trained seriously. I still can't understand how he has so much power."_

"_Well, he was trained by that Gama-sennin. And even Tsunade-shishou taught him some things. I think what saved us was that he was totally and utterly ignored when we were in the academy. And even Kakashi never taught him anything useful. He had only eyes for you Sasuke-kun."_

_Sakura and Sasuke were standing near the little stream. Kakashi was pushing chakara to his ears to hear what they were saying and was getting disappointed on all the things that were being said. And some of them were painfully true. 'I never thought that Sakura and Sasuke would react this way, I thought that maybe they needed some time to think about it, but apparently they still can't see underneath the underneath'_

"_It was good that we were able to get him out of the team, he was only a nuisance, he constantly interrupting training by asking useless questions, he was holding down my progress."_

"_Don't worry Sasuke-kun, I'm sure that Kakashi will now do what he is supposed to do and train you."_

"_Agreed."_

_As they said that, Kakashi made himself known, and started walking towards them. The look in his only eye was a look that could kill. _

_He was disappointed._

_But more importantly, he was pissed._

_Really pissed._

_And he wasn't about to waste more of his time on them. _

"_Team 7 is no more. You can go home and do whatever."_

_He turned and started walking away. But he stopped as he heard a question that made him turn back and glared at Sasuke. _

"_You are not going to train me? What are you thinking Kakashi! I am giving you the privilege of training the last of the Uchiha, and you leave! That is not-"_

He glared hard

Sasuke stopped talking.

_Kakashi had changed from being pissed to being furious in just seconds. His killing intent could be felt for kilometers. _

"_I don't train trash," he said "and you are worse than that."_

* * *

"Those who abandon their mission are trash, but those who abandon their teammates are worse than trash."

I couldn't believe my ears. Kakashi had stood up for me. _'I really thought that I would be alone for the rest of my life, but I guess that Iruka-sensei was right, 'No one can live being alone.''_

"You really said that to them? I thought that you really enjoyed training Sasuke."

"Well, I did, and I'm sorry that I didn't see it sooner." Kakashi's expression was a sad one when he said that. I couldn't really know what he was feeling at that moment. "I had decided to continue training them, but that conversation really showed me that they hadn't learned anything in all the years that I trained them, so I disintegrated the team."

I looked at him with disbelief. I really can't understand what he was trying to accomplish. So I asked.

"And what will happen now? What will you do now?"

What he answered really surprised me.

"Well, I'm starting a new team"

"A new team?" _'What the hell!'_ " Ok, I'm not getting it! Why are you doing this Kakashi!"

I looked at him, and I know that he can see in my eyes that I really don't understand what he was trying to accomplish. He had the perfect students, the last of the Uchiha, and also the Hokage's apprentice, I thought that he enjoyed teaching them. And now that I was out he had a lot more time to spend with them. They were seen as two of the best ninjas in the village, and with him as a teacher and me out of the picture they were bound to be one of the best teams on the entire village.

I thought that I was not missed.

Not needed.

But he had stood up for me. And I couldn't believe it.

He laughed at my look of disbelief and said with a smile, "Well I don't see why you are so surprised, it's only natural that I assemble a new team." With that he scratched the back of his head and gave another chuckle. "I got used to working with a team, and going back to solo missions was not really something I was looking forward to, so I requested permission to form a new team-

-and I want you to be in it."

I can't believe what he just said.

I never thought that he would do this for me.

That he cared that much.

I knew that he looked out for me, like Ero-sennin did, like Tsunade-bachan did, but I never knew that he cared so much for me. He was always training Sasuke and Sakura. He never gave me a second glance. I was always cast aside when we trained. I thought he looked after me because he had to. Not because he seriously cared.

But now… he was inviting me to join his new team?

"Why are you inviting me? I thought that you just gave me tips for my training because you had to. I thought I was in your way, in Sasuke's way. Why invite me? Why not him?"

Looking away from me he answered.

"He won't learn what I teach. He's just interested in power. He doesn't care for his teammates." While turning to look at me again, he continued. "I thought that I could teach them to be a team. I thought that they would learn to accept you with time, but they were so sure that you were just holding them down, when in reality you were the one that had made them better. You're the one that made them fight to be stronger. You left them behind, you surpassed my expectations, you surpassed everyone's expectations. You never give up, and even when I never paid enough attention to your training, you learned by watching from afar and surpassed even your own expectations."

With that he stood up and turned away.

"You really think that, Kakashi?" I kept looking at my feet, I can't believe that he thought all that about me, that I was the one making Sasuke and Sakura strong, that the team was one of the strongest because I made it like that?

"That's why I'm inviting you to my team, aren't I? I need someone that can help me keep it together, someone that can push the team to be the best."

I looked up to see him turn around and walk back and offered me his hand, then he asked me what I thought I'd never hear.

Ever.

"Will you help me?"

And I took his hand.

Hard.

A/N: Sorry about the delay! Please tell me what you think.


	4. Ch4 Ino

The Magic of Love

Disclaimer: The basic plot of this story is based on a book written by Iliana Prieto called "La Magia del Amor". I do not own this plot. The characters used on this story belong to Masashi Kishimoto-sama.

**The Magic of Love**

**Chapter Four**

**Ino**

"Damn him". I said to Crocus as we walked. _'Damn him and his superiority complex! How dare he!' _ I was on my way to talk to Tsunade-sama…

and I was pissed.

Why?

Because of Ibiki.

He has been in charge of my training for years and finally, yesterday, told me I was ready to be an interrogator on duty. "I was so thrilled, Crocus! Can you believe he sent me away! How am I supposed to be a good interrogator if I'm not interrogating someone! Instead I have to wait for a team to need an interrogator and ask for my assistance." Crocus walked beside me and squealed in agreement several times. " I'm tired of all the stupid civilian interrogations and easy to break thugs! I want something big! I want to demonstrate that my interrogating system works!"

And what is my system you may ask.

My interrogating system is quite different than that of Ibiki and Anko-san. They use mental and physical torture. But I use feelings. I look deep into their eyes and find hidden feelings that they don't even know they feel. It's kind of cool if you ask me, but Anko-san thinks that it's not a real method.

Well, screw her.

Anyway, they are my superiors and I have to do as they say.

"Ugh! I can't believe this!"

"What's gotten in to you woman?" It was Kiba. _'Great just what I need.'_ I turned to face him; he was eating some poki while walking beside Akamaru and had the stupidest grin on his face. "You got dumped or something?"

"None of your business!" I turned and continued walking, faster than before. "Come on Crocus, you don't want to get fleas on you, right?"

"Oh, come on Ino. Don't be like that, I'm just curious". I sighed and stopped walking, waiting for him to catch up. "It's just Ibiki." "Ibiki? No more 'Ibiki-sensei'?

I smiled as I turned to face him took a poki form his box and placed it in my mouth. "No more crazy sensei!" He grinned back at my smirk. "So if you are free of the 'Orc Lord' why are you so pissed?"

The poki broke in my mouth, and half of it fell on the floor.

That made my bad mood return.

"Ugh!" I instantly started walking again. "He is making me take missions outside of the torture hall." "And that is a bad thing because..?" "Well, because I've always wanted to prove that I'm a good interrogator _in_ the torture hall, not on the field. Ever since that time that I told Anko-san that my system was better and cleaner than hers she's been spreading around rumors that I'm just a poser!" I turned to look at him in the eye. "Can you believe that btch! And Ibiki just backed her up too! Damn them!"

I knew that he was struggling not to laugh but I really needed to get this out of my system. And unfortunately, he was the one there to listen.

He always was.

* * *

_Thirteen year old Yamanaka Ino was sulking in one of the many swing in the park. _

_Hiting the sand beneath her she talked to Crocus about her feeling toward her new sensei Ibiki. "I hate him, he's so cruel with me. Doesn't he know that I don't have the ability to make someone scream with fear! That's insane, I mean, he can do it and Anko-san can do it, but I'm just a genin." Crocus squealed and jumped on her legs. Ino started petting him and continued with her sulking but barking and shouting interrupted her._

_Warf! Warf! "Akamaru! Come back here! That is not for you!" _

_It was Inuzuka Kiba, the loudest, smelliest boy she knew, and he had to be there. Good thing he hadn't noticed her. "Akama-… hey Ino! What's up!" _

_Damn._

"_Leave Kiba!" The answer clarified that she really didn't need his stupid remarks on that moment. "I want to be alone!" But did he listen? _

"_Why so cold Ino? I mean, we haven't talked in a while. Don't you miss us?" "No I don't! Now Leave!" And again, he didn't leave. He stepped a little closer to her and sat on the floor in front of the swing where she was sitting. "Are you having boy problems? Or is it something else? You look troubled." _

_He actually looked like he cared. So she told him. And he listened._

_In the end they became the best of friends. With his new job as the Hokage's escort, Kiba had to be trained inside the village and rarely left, and Ino, with her training as an interrogator, spent the majority of my time with Ibiki. The rest of the rookies had other obligations that made them leave the village on missions or whatever. So they were there for each other. They helped each other, trained together; they even shared their first kiss. _

* * *

'Its been four years since that day. And he still knows what to say.'

* * *

"And why do you care about their opinions? I mean, your system works great, no one can take the truth out of me like you can, not even my mom! And actually, that snake-chic is a sadist, and what she does is certainly not the cleanest thing in the interrogation world, also, the 'Orc Lord' actually stepped down as your teacher and told you that you are ready. It may not be for interrogations at the torture hall, but you have to start at the bottom and climb your way to the top." Akamaru barked in agreement and Crocus squealed too. I sighed. "I know Kiba, but how can I prove to them that my way of doing things is actually good if they are not there to see."

We stopped in front of the Hokage Tower, he turned to face me and put his hands on my shoulders. He always knows what to say when I dump all my 'Ibiki troubles' on him. He just tells me what he thinks and tries to help me. He never gives me a straight answer, but pushes me in the right direction. Who would have thought that we would be best friends, I mean, when we were younger we couldn't stand each other. But now I talk more about my problems with him than with Sakura.

"You know what? Just do your best on the field and word will spread, you'll see." After he said that he gave me a grin and said goodbye with an excuse that he was late for his meeting with Shino.

I sigh again. I knew that he was right. I have to do my best and my abilities will be noticed.

But I still didn't have to like it.

* * *

My meeting with Tsunade-sama was short and to the point. She was actually really happy of having an interrogator on the field, but admitted that high level ninjas never needed and interrogator, and that my missions where going to be B level tops. I was going to have a lot of free time, but me being me, had to complain.

* * *

"_What do you mean? I won't be called often! What am I supposed to do until then!" Ino was really frustrated. She was actually starting to accept that working at the torture hall was going to be really difficult in her current level, and that she needed field experience before she could start in the hall. And now Tsunade-sama tells her that its going to be one mission every three months or so! And B rank tops! _

"_I'm sorry Ino, but field interrogators are not called often. High level ninjas know the basics of interrogation and don't need an interrogator on their team, and it is not often that B rank missions need interrogators." She actually looked sorry, but that didn't make Ino feel any better. "What am I supposed to do now!" _

_Ino sighted hard. _

"_You could take this as a vacation of sorts, hmm? It will be good for you after all the work that Ibiki has put you through." Ino wasn't getting any happier, and Tsunade saw this. Then she opened a drawer and started shuffling some papers around. "Look, why don't you read this scroll and try to master all you're skills." "Master my skills? What do you mean?" She kept shuffling around and answered. "Well, someone once told me that 'you never master a skill until you do it instinctively' and I think that is 100 true. So why don't you try and follow up a training with this guidelines."_

_Tsunade handed Ino a worn out scroll and smiled as she took it. "Ok, so…all I have to do is follow this guideline?" "Yeah, you can tell me how they worked for you later and I'll see if I publish it for other ninjas to use it too." Then Ino saw it. That flicker in her eyes told her she had a plan, a plan that Ino had just discovered by looking straight into her eyes, that made her grin. "So, you are going to use me as a guinea pig?" Tsunade smiled as she leaned back on her chair. "Actually yes, how did you guess?" "Well, you had it written all over your face." She looked surprised. "Really now?" "Yep" Ino smiled, stud up, bowed and started her way out of Tsunade's office before she stopped her. "Ino," she said. "Yes?" "your skills are very good, I'll be sure to mention you to future teams."_

_Ino's smile grew._

* * *

Now I'm stuck with this stupid old scroll, training to 'master my skills'. "Where do I start Crocus?" We were walking together on the woods, trying to find a quiet place were we could start reading the scroll. Crocus only squealed as an answer. "Well yeah, you're right, I should train with one of the skills I haven't mastered. Maybe if a read a little…"

As I was saying this I felt a presence coming from my right, and it was coming fast. 'Ok, this is the middle of the forest, why is there someone here?' Just as I finished my thought the person came flying from the tree tops and almost smashed on to me. I shouted and fell to the floor. 'I thought he was a few meters away, he arrived here 5 seconds before my anticipation.'

After him came someone I knew, Sakura's Jounin-sensei, Hatake Kakashi. He was running on a slower phase and stopped to help me get up before saying. "Sorry about that, he's a bit excited" He gave me his one eyed smile. "oh, ok… no problem" "Nice seeing you here Yamanaka-san" He waved and jumped to the tree tops to continue his pursue.

"Ok, that was weird" I started pulling out the leaves that had stuck on my hair when I heard Crocus squeal behind me and that made me realize just who had bumped into me. "It was Uzumaki Naruto" I stared at Crocus. "I can't believe it Crocus, he gave me the impression that he was happy, but ..." _'He is the first person to ever fool me.'_ "behind that mask of happiness, lies the real him." _'I can see him, not that clearly, but I can see the real Naruto behind the mask.' _

"Why do you think he hides Crocus? Why does he act like he's ok when he's not?" Crocus squealed.

"You are right Crocus, I'll just have to find out." _'I'll make it up to you Naruto'_

I grinned.

"Let's start working Crocus!" I opened the scroll and looked the first thing written with the worst handwriting ever.

**'_The best way to master your skills, believe it!'_**

**_by. U.N._**

A/N: Sorry about the huge delay! Chapter 5 is alrady 50 done! I won't be gone that long! Please forgive me!! . Tell me what you think! Adios!! D


	5. Ch5 Naruto

Disclaimer: The basic plot of this story is based on a book written by Iliana Prieto called "La Magia del Amor". I do not own this plot. The characters used on this story belong to Masashi Kishimoto-sama.

**The Magic of Love**

**Chapter Five**

**Naruto**

"Damn it Genma that hurts!" He got me again with one of his senbon. "Are you trying to kill me?" I stopped and took out the senbon that was stuck on my right shoulder near my neck.

"Well, you are very distracted today brat, normally I have a hard time hitting you but today I've hit you five times." He took a senbon and put it in his mouth to chew. "What are you thinking about that has you so distracted?"

I sat and crossed my arms. "I've been thinking about our last mission." Genma walked past me and sat with his back on a tree still munching on the senbon. "Don't worry about that, we'll figure something out once Kakashi arrives." "Well knowing him we still have at least 20 minutes to kill." "Then shut up and wake me when he arrives." With that he closed his eyes and drifted off to dream land.

'_I can't believe I'm stuck with two lazy asses'_ I was thrilled to know that Kakashi wanted me on his team but now I think I'm starting to regret it. _'Makes me think that the only reason he invited me was to have someone who would make them do something.' _I've been on this team for a month and I've actually enjoyed it.

We are three on the team. Me, Hatake Kakashi, and, Shiranui Genma. What is our specialization? Well, Execution and Data Gathering, EDG. We work really well together; I am the one in charge of the heavy artillery. Whenever we are on a pinch I'm the one that has to get us out of there alive. With my speed, my long range techniques and my almost unlimited chakra capacity, my work is piece of cake.

Kakashi is in charge of finding the target. 'It' being a person, a document, a place, or whatever. His job is pretty easy and when he has trouble he calls his nin-dogs to sniff around a bit. I never knew that his specialization was tracking. That caught me off guard a bit, but whatever.

Then there is Shiranui Genma, he is a Jounin whose specialization is assassinations. He uses his senbon to kill his opponents quickly and silently. It's kind of cool. I've been trying to make him teach me how to use senbon but he is actually lazier than Kakashi which is really frustrating.

I remember when Kakashi told me that we had another member on the team, I was really excited to meet him.

* * *

"_So Kakashi, when do we start missions? What are we supposed to do on this team? Is it an all rounder team like team seven? Is anyone else on the team? When do we start missions?...Wait I already asked that. Kakashi, answer me damn it!"_

_Naruto was jumping up and down on the same place in front of Kakashi waiting for answers to the tons of questions that he had asked, but the white haired jounin was a bit slow in answering them. _

"_Later, Execution and Data Gathering, No, Shiranui Genma, do I have to answer that again?" It took Naruto a second to process the answers given to him. _

"_We have another team member!? When do we meet him?" he was getting more excited by the minute. _

"_Hmm," Kakashi looked up at the sun and the turned to look at Naruto before answering. "we were supposed to meet him one hour ago at the ramen stand." "One hour ago! Kakashi! We are late! What is wrong with you! What if he left already!? Come on lets go!" With that Naruto took off towards the ramen stand leaving Kakashi behind._

_Kakashi was taking his time, running at his own peace, not bothering use the same crazy speed Naruto was using. After a couple of minutes of running he heard a scream and hurried a bit. What he found was a fallen Yamanaka Ino, her hair filled with twigs and leaves. He stood in front of her and offered her a hand. _'I bet Naruto didn't even notice her' _"Sorry about that, he's a bit excited" He offered her a one eyed smile. "Oh, ok… no problem" "Nice seeing you here Yamanaka-san" With that he waved at her and continued on his pursue._

_When he arrived at the ramen stand he found a happy Naruto breathing down his second bowl of ramen and an indifferent Genma watching him with a bit of disgust. "Yo, Genma, sorry for being late, I had to go fetch a hungry blond and got lost on the woods on the way here…" "Oh, come on Kakashi, you came to get me like 20 minutes ago, don't blame me! You were already late!" The blond pointed the one-eyed jounin with his chopsticks in an accusing manner._

"_Maa, calm down Naruto, I wasn't that late." The jounin sat beside Genma and asked for a miso ramen for himself. "Did you eat already Genma?" "Yeah, a while ago. I knew you were going to be late so I asked Raidou to eat with me." "Oh, so no hard feelings?" "Na, it's ok."_

_The Blond ninja just stared at them with disbelief. _'Are they family or is laziness a chronic illness?' _He dismissed his thoughts before ordering another bowl of his favorite food. _

_He didn't know what he was getting into._

* * *

"Agh! Where is he!" I threw myself to the ground and stared at the clouds. Believe it or not watching clouds was something I enjoyed a lot. I did it with Shikamaru and Choji before my three year training with Ero-sannin. I can't remember the last time I talked with them.

Actually, I can't remember the last time I talked with any of the rookies. Well, not including Sasuke and Sakura. Maybe I'll try to catch up with them later.

I sigh.

That brought back memories. I used to be good friends with the rookies, or at least I was their friend, maybe the feeling was not mutual. Who knows?

Kakashi was here. I felt as he arrived and stepped a few feet to my left. I turned to see him. It was the usual him, the same clothes, the same book, and the same lazy face.

"Yo." He waved at me and gave me his one eyed smile. I stud up and faced him. "Why are you late again? We almost failed our last mission because of our carelessness and you are late! You are supposed to feel guilty and be here one hour early! I actually arrived here early and did some extra training!"

I really didn't want to repeat what happened on our last mission again.

It was kind of embarrassing.

* * *

_The mission was almost done. Team EDG was on an important mission. They had to destroy one of the many Iwa training camps and find out why this camps where being made. Right now the camp they had attacked was destroyed and all the ninjas killed._

_Except for one. _

"_Come on Kakashi, we need to get the information out of him now and return to Konoha before someone comes!" The only blond on the team was completely covered in blood, and you could see that he was exhausted and wanted to be anywhere but there. "Ma, the only interrogation methods I know are slow torture methods and we need the information fast." The one eyed, white haired jounin answered. _

_The last of the jounins then said. "Why don't we take him back to Konoha and send him with the interrogators."_

_They were debating what to do with the unconscious Iwa chunnin they had spared form the earlier destruction. The idea was to interrogate him and then kill him, but apparently the interrogation methods that the earlier mentioned jounin knew were not methods that could be done or wanted to be done._

_Then the captured chunnin stirred and woke up. _

_The three Konoha jounins stared at him surprised. He was not supposed to be awake with all the senbon sticking out of his body. But he was and he had seen who they were and from where they were. _

_No one said a word._

_The Iwa chunnin stared them. First Kakashi, then Genma, and finally Naruto, and then the unexpected happened. He started freaking out. He stared murmuring stuff about war and Konoha and the Yellow Flash. He was struggling with the ropes that tied his hands and feet, obviously trying to get them off. And seeing that he was not getting out of there he did the only thing he could think of…_

"_No, wait!" Shouted Kakashi as he ran to the tied ninja, but arrived to late. "Shit, he ate a suicide pill." The other jounins were as stunned as the first. "What do we do now?" The blond asked as he sat. "We take the information we have and take it back to Konoha, we move out now. Don't leave anything that could be a clue to them that we are from Konoha." While he said this Kakashi took the dead Iwa ninja an untied him. Then left him there. _

"_We move out now!"_

* * *

"Come on Naruto, don't act like my mom, I actually have a good reason." He walked and stood on the shadow of the tree where Genma was currently sleeping. "What's the reason?" "Our new teammate." He took out a folder and handed it to me. I was really old folder and had some papers inside. I opened it. "These are profiles? Of who?" "Interrogators." With that he sat down beside Genma. "Take a look at them and tell me what you think." He took his orange book and continued reading.

I took the first profile. It read:

Morino Ibiki,  
Special Jounin,  
Age 32,  
Not taking missions outside of village.

"Ok, no missions outside of the village, that is very helpful" I threw the profile and it fell harmlessly on the floor beside my feet.

The next one had in big red letters, all the way across the page, the word:

DESCEASED!

And the one after that, and the one after that.

Then I found another one, it read:

Mitarashi Anko,  
Special Jounin,  
Age 29  
Not taking missions below S-rank.

"What!? S-rank! That insane btch!" I threw the profile and it fell to the floor with the others.

I took a look at the rest of the profiles.

DESCEASED!  
DESCEASED!  
DESCEASED!  
DESCEASED!  
DESCEASED!

"Damn it Kakashi!! They are al freaking dead! We can't have a dead team mate!" I threw the rest of the profiles at his face. Some flew away with the wind, and others were caught by Genma, who shuffled them around, and took one from the bunch he had.

"Don't be mad at me, those are all the interrogators we have in the village" "What!? But they are all dead!" He stood up shaking of all the profiles he still had on him. "Well then, we'll have to take missions that don't require an interrogator." "But that's impossible! I mean, what do you do on 'Execution and Data Gathering' missions? You execute," I pointed at Genma, who is the 'executioner' on the team. "and you 'gather data'." I took several of the profiles from the floor and shook them in front of his face. "But apparently, according to the most recent Konoha census, all interrogators are DESCEASED and-"

"Will you shut up!" Genma was standing beside me and before I knew it he stuck a senbon on my throat preventing me from talking anymore. _'Damn it! This hurts like hell! Why the hell does he-'_

But before I could finish my monologue to myself he said something that caught me by surprise.

"Is this our new teammate?" He had one of the discarded profiles in his hand and was showing it to Kakashi, "She's a new interrogator, and was just named 'special jounin' by Ibiki himself." Kakashi was eyeing the paper thoroughly and nodding at something in particular. "She seems to have promise. We should talk to Tsunade-san about her, see if she is available."

I was waving my arms around trying to get their attention but I began to think that they were ignoring me on purpose. _'I want to know who the interrogator is! Damn them!' _I tried to take the profile from their hands but they weren't letting me do it.

'_Arg! Screw this!'_ I knew that if I took out Genma's senbon from my neck I could die, or more like 'a normal person would've died', but seeing that I am not entirely 'normal' I took it off without a second thought. Instantaneously Genma and Kakashi were on my side.

"What the hell is wrong with you! You could've died!" but as he tried to see the injury I had inflicted on myself the only thing he saw was some blood and a disappearing scar. "Man, are you crazy or something? That is called masochism!" I ignored them and took the profile out of Kakashi's hand.

It read:

Yamanaka Ino,  
Special Jounin,  
Age 17,  
Available

"Hey! I know her! I went to the academy with her, and she always hung out with Sa-" I flinched. Remembering her always brought back memories; memories that I wanted to erase form my mind and my heart, but couldn't.

I think Kakashi knew the reason for my sudden silence and I knew he wanted to help me get over it.

But I just couldn't.

"You bumped into her several weeks ago, but you being you, probably didn't notice." I turned to face Kakashi with a questioning look. "I did? When?" I head him sigh and then he gave me one of his one eyed smiles before answering. "When you ran to meet Genma at the ramen stand, you left her on the floor and she was covered in leaves and twigs. I had to apologize for you." He put his hands on his pant's pockets and started his way out of our training ground and into the forest. "Hey! Where are you going?" I heard Genma ask form behind me. "I'm requesting a meeting. To ask Yamanaka-san if she would like to be part of our team." Genma walked and stud beside me. "Won't you need to evaluate her before accepting her on the team?!"

Kakashi just shrugged and gave us a lazy wave without turning around. "We'll meet at the ramen stand tomorrow, same time, and I'll let you know what happened."

And he left.

I still had Ino's profile on my hands.

I watched her picture intensely. Questions forming in my mind, feelings of dreadfulness on my chest. _'Should I tell her of the Kyubi? Will she hate me like everyone else did? Can I trust her? What should I do?' _Genma said something, but I didn't listen. I had my head filled with all this questions, doubts.

And the worst thing of it all is that I can't stop thinking about her.

'Will she accept me?'

I think I'll have to wait until tomorrow to find out.

I have to train some more. To get all this feelings away.

Like I said before:

Training always helps.

A/N: OK! D  
This chapter came out faster, like I promised! Its a bit longer too! I hope you like it and please tell me what you think! XD


	6. Ch6 Ino

Disclaimer: The basic plot of this story is based on a book written by Iliana Prieto called "La Magia del Amor". I do not own this plot. The characters used on this story belong to Masashi Kishimoto-sama.

**The Magic of Love**

**Chapter Six**

**Ino**

This past couple of months have been really different. I've been training using the guidelines Tsunade-sama gave me. That is one of the reasons I've been able to get stronger. At first I thought that the guy who wrote that guidelines was totally nuts, but it was my mission to follow them through and see the results. So I did.

I have to admit that this mission was nothing like any other I've ever accepted. I never knew that ninjas could 'check out' training methods and depending on the report left behind they would buy the guidelines. Personally, I thought it was stupid.

I mean, ninjas normally learn training methods from their sensei's. Not from guidelines. And when I started reading, the first thing that appeared on the scroll was a request. It was really weird. It said something like this:

_'To learn the fastest way to master all your skills and have awesome results you will need to know kagebunshin-no jutsu. It is essential for you to know this jutsu if you want to have fast results. Making at least one kagebunshin will help you greatly. You can follow this guidelines without it, but to have better results it is better to know it-tebayo!'_

_

* * *

_

_"I can't believe it! I have to learn the stupid kagebunshin!? ugh! Crocus, I don't know the seals! It's a secret jutsu that can only be found in the forbidden scroll in the hokage's office, and I definitely can't go ask Tsunade-sama to lend me the scroll." I started having second thoughts about this. 'Maybe I should do it without the kagebunshin.' I sat in the forest for almost one hour thinking about what I should do. "I definitely can't go ask Ibiki-san, he'll refuse for sure." This little problem was starting to get on my nerves when I felt Crocus lick my hand, calling for attention. I turned to him and he squealed. He was looking at me straight in the eye. As if he wanted me to read what he was thinking. "Wha-" Then I saw it. He was thinking of dad! "That's right Crocus! I can go ask dad!" I sat up quickly and started running home._

_

* * *

_

After learning kagebunshin from my dad I started traing hard. Because I had primised my dad that I was going to take this seriously. _'He actually threatened me! The nerve of parents this days.'_ He thought that I would actually tell some other ninja the seals for the kagebunshin. "It is a village jutsu for a reason! He knows that I will never betray my village in any way and he still threatened me!" I was discussing with Crucus as I finished my training.

It had been like this for two months. After quickly learning the training method from the guidelines I started practicing according to what they said. The first step was really weird if you ask me, but later I learned how useful it actually is. It said something like this: '_Look for the weakness of your strength'._

At first I was like, _'What the hell is wrong with this dude!? "The weakness of your strength?" What the hell is that?'_ But after thinking about it, it really made a lot of sense. The enemy will be looking for your weakness, so the first thing you had to do was to completely master all your skill's weaknesses. And to do that you had to find them.

The first thing that came to my mind was taijutsu. I totally suck at it and I don't really follow all the katas of my family's style, I just made a hybrid type of form that suited me well. Kiba kicked my ass all the time, too. So I decided to start with that.

I trained with only taijutsu for one week, and I have to confess that the results were really amazing. By following the instructions and applying them on my fighting style my strength, agility, and technique, flew off the charts! It was incredible, and that was with only two kagebunshins, which were the most I could do at that time. With a little dedication and some guidelines my strength grew so much that I kicked Kiba's ass on our next spar. You should have seen his face. Ha! After that I trusted the guidelines completely.

After that I spent one month perfecting all my jutsus and genjutsus, and sometimes chakra control and capacity too, but when the month was over I felt that my strongest weakness was still there, that I hadn't found it yet.

I spent two days sitting behind the flower shop's counter just thinking about this. And then the answer came to me.

* * *

_I find myself sitting here, in this god forsaken shop, again. With nothing to do but think. And the only thing that I could think about was finding my strength's weakness._

_"This is getting stupid" I sigh. Talking to myself was something that I had developed over time. I normally talked to Crocus who looked like he actually listened. But when Crocus is asleep there is nothing I can do about it. And I can't help talking.._

_"Why can't I find my stupid weakness! I've been training so hard, but I can't help the feeling that I am missing something!" I was about to hit my head on the desk when the bell sounded, alerting me that customers where in the shop._

_A smile instantly came to my face and I said monotonously, "Welcome to the Yamanaka's flower shop!" But, strangely enough I was ignored. 'The nerve of these people!' As I started my internal monologue about how people where lacking manners I noticed that who had entered the shop was a young couple. And apparently they were in a fight._

_"Kai, I just asked you to pay more attention to me, but you keep looking at other girls!" The girl was facing me, and by staring straight into her eyes I saw sadness and anger. It looked like she loved this 'Kai' but he didn't pay enough attention to her._

_'Pff, girls this days, so needy.'_

_The guy, 'Kai', was standing in front of the girl, his back to me. He answered something back but I really wasn't listening. I was used to guess what the conversation was abut by just reading the person that was talking. But I couldn't do it for this guy. "Why can't I-"_

_Then it clicked. I couldn't see his eyes, so it was impossible for me to know what he was feeling. If he was lying or if he was truthful, if he felt indifference for what the girl was saying or if he really cared. All this was unknown to me._

_Because I couldn't see his eyes._

* * *

My method had always consisted of reading the person's feelings by looking straight through their eyes, and I have to admit that I am damn good at it. But, what if I'm behind that person? How do I know what they are feeling or thinking, or whatever?

The answer I found was: body language.

And to train myself into reading a person with body language I only needed something that all interrogators need: experience.

So to acquire experience on reading peoples body language I returned for some advice form my guidelines. And I quickly found an answer. I had to make as much Kagebunshins as possible and had them sit still and watch people wonder around all day. Observing. Analyzing.

'_This method should work.'_ I've been sitting in the same café shop for the last three weeks just watching people pass by. My four kagebunshins are spread around the village doing the same. _'I should be able to acquire a lot of experience from this, I've been doing it forever.'_

I actually started noticing some change on people. Or more like I started to be more aware of all their unconscious movements. Their reactions to Crocus were more noticeable to me now than before.

I knew that the villagers don't like foxes that much. But I never knew that it was this bad. They were actually scared of him and tried to be as far as they could from him. I would ask him to walk by some group of people and I could see their fingers flinch. Or the slight increase of their walking. How they always looked back to see if Crocus was following them or not.

I found this rather stupid. I mean, Crocus is just a little fox. He may be a little weird, and his fur may be a strange color. But he is the best friend I'll ever had and I can bet my life on the fact that he will never harm a fly.

"Stupid villagers, they with their paranoid ideas." "Hey Ino, talking to yourself again I see." I turned to see Kiba with Akamaru walking towards me. He came to the table I was sitting on and sat in front of me. I gave him a look that could kill. " What took you so long? I've been sitting here for more than 30 minutes!" He just told Akamaru to take a walk in the nearby forest and answered calmly. "Ino, you've been sitting on this chair for the last three weeks looking at god knows what." He took my lemonade and almost drank it all. I gave him a disgusted look. "Yeah, I have. But that doesn't mean you can arrive 30 minutes late! I am starving! And who gave you permission to drink my lemonade!" He gave me one of his stupid grins. "Well, anyway, how's training going. Gotten any better? After last time I think I need to find a stronger training partner." That made his grin disappear and a pissed look came to his face. But before he could say anything the waiter came with our food. "Sir, Ma-am, your food is here." "Ah! Excellent! I was starving to death" Kiba looked confused. "But Ino, I didn't order anything." I turned from the food to him. "Well I took the trouble of ordering for you." I smiled and continued inspecting my chicken. "But what did you order for me?" Just after that his order came. It was a big steak with some sauce on the side. I could practically see drool coming off of his mouth. I laughed at the scene. '_ I know him to well.'_

After we finished eating we were just talking about anything. Then I saw Crocus playing with Akamaru at the edge of the forest, and all the toughts of the villagers and foxes came back to my head. I think Kiba noticed this because he asked me about why I had said that the villagers were stupid when he first arrived. At first I didn't look back at him. I kept my eyes on Crocus and answered. "I just don't get how they are so afraid of a little fox like Crocus." I turned to look at him. All his attention was on me. " Every time Crocus walks by them they flinch or walk away." I looked at my hands in my lap. " I understand that they are scared of foxes because of what happened 17 years ago, but Crocus didn't do anything to them and yet, they are scared of him and hate him. It's as if they are waiting for him to transform into a big demon fox and star killing everything on his way."

Kiba's face showed understanding and the movements of his hands behind his head showed that he felt hate and confusion towards all the villagers and agreed with me. " You're right Ino, I can't understand either. The way they treat anything that has to do with foxes. To think that foxes used to be Konoha's protectors together with the Yondaime Hokage." "What?!"

I looked at him straight in the eye. "Is what you just said true?" I knew exactly what he was thinking then, something by the lines of _'Oh shit, I shouldn't have said that.' _"Ah, Umm, Well you see-" "Kiba tell me now!" He removed his hands from the back of his head and showed hesitation on his movements. Taking some money from his pocket and putting it on the table he stood up and motioned me to follow him.

We walked to where Crocus and Akamaru where and sat on the floor near a big tree that covered us from the sun. He looked at me straight in the eye. It was rare the time when you saw Kiba this serious. This thing he knew was probably a secret of secrets and he was trying to discover if he could trust me or not. I looked back at him with the most trusting look I could make and said. "You can trust me Kiba." His look changed instantly, his hands where now fists and his shoulders were tenser than before. "I-I know, but it is supposed to be a secret. I overheard my mother talking about it with some other jounin. I never got the chance to know who he was but the thing is that mom made me swear not to tell anyone. Not even at the cost of my life." He looked at me and I knew that he wanted to trust me but the promise he had made to his mother was making him think twice before actually doing it.

"You know?" I took a little flower that was growing near me and started cutting off the petals. "This is one of the things I like about you." I turned to look at Kiba, he was still a bit bothered by the decision he had to make but was paying complete attention to what I was saying. His shoulders relaxed a bit and he tried to find a more comfortable position for his legs. " You are completely loyal." I smiled at him. " You trust your family with your life and I know that not only because you are my best friend," When I said this his expression changed completely. His eyebrows relaxed and he smiled a bit, and I instantly knew that he considered me his best friend too. "But because you trust me too. And I want you to know that I trust you completely too, and that if you think that I shouldn't know this information you don't have to tell me. I'll understand"

Crocus and Akamaru had stopped playing and where listening to our conversation, both of them sat quietly beside each other. I kept my eyes on Kiba and waited for his answer. But he just smiled and laughed softly. _'What is so funny? I was totally serious about what I said!' _I was about to start shouting at him for laughing but he stopped me.

"Ino," The look on his eyes had changed again. Now he was serious. I forgot what I was going to say and looked at him. His eyes were closed but he continued talking. "I remember when we first started training together. Everyone else had a solid team, but yours and mine had been disintegrated. I decided to start my training to be the Hokage's escort when Hinata told me she had to take responsibility of her duties as clan heir and Shino decided he was going to enter some special unit of bugs and stuff with his family. At first I didn't know what I was going to do, I didn't know if I wanted to continue my training. And I was just about to quit when I met you. You were having the same problems as me, your team had left to do some other things and you had been left behind to train by yourself. And I know for a fact that you didn't like what you were doing either."

I looked at him with a look of 'what the hell' in my eyes. "How do you know that? I totally love what I do!" He smirked and moving his hands to the back of his head again he said. "Are you kidding me, when we first met outside of the academy you were all _'Leave Kiba! I want to be alone!'_ and stuff" His smirk just grew, but he was right. When I first met him after the academy I was so angry at Ibiki because he wanted me to do something that I thought was so impossible. And that same day I started trusting him with all my troubles. "That day, when you told me about all your troubles I discovered that I was not the only one. That there were people like me out there. And I think that that was what made me like you so much. You were so sincere and trusted me with your problems without thinking of the consequences." His serious look returned. "That's why I want you to know that I trust you too. And that I am sorry for doubting you, even if it was just a little." He smiled and I couldn't hold my smile back. He took my hands in his and looked at me, straight in the eye.

"Ino, what I am about to tell you is to be known by you and only you. If this is ever known by the villagers the image of the hero that is the Yondaime will be changed forever." His grip on my hands was steady and the look on his eyes was the most serious look I had ever seen him have. I could only nod. And he nodded back. "My mom was the Yondaime's teammate. She and some other guy that died in the ninja war. Apparently my mom and the Yondaime where specialized in finding enemies. My mom used her companions and the Yondaime used foxes. Apparently he could summon them and they helped him, just like dogs help us." He let go of my hands after that. "That's it. That's all I know. My mom sensed my chakra after that. The reason it should stay secret is to keep the idea of connecting the Kyubi attack with the Yondaime and his ability to summon foxes."

I never thought that the Yondaime himself would be friends with foxes. "Hmm, it's kind of weird, don't you think?" Kiba looked at me with a questioning look. "What is?" "Well, what do you think the Yondaime felt when he discovered that the Kyubi was coming this way and that he was going to have to fight the species that had been his most trusted companion for years?" Kiba sighed and changed positions again. This time he was lying down with his arms behind his head and looking at the sky hidden behind the leaves of the big trees all around us. We could hear the villagers doing whatever they do and passing by the shop where we were earlier.

Watching them reminded me of Naruto. I don't know why but he just popped into my mind. And then I remember what Sakura had told me. About Naruto and the Kyubi and what the Yondaime really did to save us all. And then I looked at Kiba. He had just trusted me with a secret that was really important to him. May be I can trust him too. _'Will he accept Naruto, or will he hate him like all the villagers do?' Will he be able to see the real Naruto like I did? The one that is alone, the one that wants to be seen as a normal person and not as a demon. Will he?' _ I was just about to call Kiba but then I felt someone coming. Kiba felt him too. He stood up and helped me stand. An ANBU appeared in front of us.

"Yamanaka Ino-san?" He asked monotonously.

"That would be me" I looked at him straight through his mask. Nothing. His face was totally hidden. But, by the way he stood, I could tell he was tired. That he didn't want to be where he was. And that he needed a good night sleep.

"You are requested by the Hokage."

"Now?" That got me by surprise. Tsunade-sama wanted to see me now? It was kind of weird, she normally sent a chunin or a group of genin to look for me, but never an ANBU. _'It must be important then.'_

"Yes, that is what she said."

"I'll be right there then." With a nod the ANBU disappeared in a whirl of leaves. I turned to look at Kiba. He had a look of boredom on his face. He called for Akamaru and Crocus came to my arms when I called him.

"Well then I guess you have to go. You don't want to make the Hokage wait" Kiba smiled at me and I smiled back. "I guess" Suddenly he grabbed my shoulders and hugged me. He doesn't hug me that often but when he does it makes me feel kind of nice.

Nothing romantic though. More like I feel like I'm being protected by the big brother I never had. He moved away and said. "Take care of yourself." He jumped to the nearest branch together with Akamaru. "You too, Kiba!" I waved at him and watched him and Akamaru jump from branch to branch.

"I guess it's just you and me again Crocus, let's go. We don't want to make Tsunade-sama wait too much for us." Crocus squealed as I started walking to our destination.

"I'm here to see Hokage-sama, she requested my presence." I arrived to Tsunade-sama's office quickly enough and went straight to the secretary. She looked up from what she was doing and looked back down at a list of names she had.

"Yamanaka Ino-san" "Yes, that's me" She nodded. "Alright, go right in. Hokage-sama is waiting for you now." I nodded at her and gave her a smile.

As I walked to Tsunade-sama's office I couldn't help but notice Kakashi-san, Sakura's sensei walk out of the office and out through the nearest window. _'What is it with men and doors.' _ I ignored the looks the ANBU gave me and knocked at the door that Kakashi-san had just used. I heard a quiet 'come in' and opened the door.

I was greeted by mountains of paperwork and a tired Hokage behind an old desk. I gave her a sorry smile and sat down on the chair in front of the desk with her permission.

"You wanted to see me Hokage-sama?" She was signing some documents and started putting them away. There were three piles of papers to her left, and one on her right. "Bird-san" she called obviously ignoring me. An ANBU appeared behind her just after that. "Yes. Hokage-sama" "Please have someone take this papers to where they belong. I'm done with them." He just bowed and disappeared in a whirl of leaves. Roughly ten seconds after that a knock on the door was heard and with a 'come in' like the one I received earlier three chunins came in and took the three piles that where on her left. It was only after they left the Tsunade-sama gave a big sigh and took out of her cabinet a bottle of sake and a cup.

"Damn paperwork is going to be the death of me someday." She said to herself as she took a sip of her warm sake. The scene made me smile. I let Tsunade-sama calm down for a minute before calling her name again. "Tsunade-sama?" "Yes Ino?" I gave her a small smile. "I was thinking, and it occurred to me, why don't you use kagebunshin to help you with the paperwork?" She gave me a look that almost made me laugh my ass off… almost.

"Who gave you that idea?" She sounded like she couldn't believe the brilliance of the idea. She looked straight into my eyes and I saw that I wasn't going to leave this office if I kept this information from her. I scratched the back of my head and laughed a little. "Well, I have been applying something similar on my training. You will find everything you want to know about this idea here." I took out the copy of the guidelines she had given me two months before and placed it on her desk. She looked at it with disbelief, and then smiled. It was a smile filled with so much pride and love that I was taken by surprise. I had never seen Tsunade-sama show that kind of emotions before.

She turned to look at me with more pride in her eyes than anything I've ever seen before. "So I guess this training is a success?" I was at a loss of words for a moment. "A-Ah! Yes! They were great! I never thought that I could have gotten this strong. It really surprised me."

She grinned. "They are great aren't they? I think so too." She took the guidelines and placed them with the pile of papers that was to her right. "Do you have your report?" _'Eh? I was supposed to bring my report?' _ "N-No, Hokage-sama, no one told me I had to bring it." She sighed and took another sip of her sake. "Hmm, I see. Well have you started it?" "Yes. It is done, I just don't have it with me." She looked at me and smiled. "Ok then, you will bring it tomorrow; I want it to be complete and presentable." "Right Hokage-sama"

She nodded. "Ok now, the reason why I called you here is because a team has requested of your permanent assistance." She took the folder at the top of the pile and handed it to me. "This team consists of an Execution and Data Gathering team, EDG for short, they are one of the strongest teams I have, but they are in need of an interrogator. And currently you are the only active interrogator that we have."

I couldn't believe it. I was actually being asked to form part of a team. After almost four years of constant training, I can't let this opportunity get past me. I open the folder. There are no names. That is to be expected. The only things I find are the general data of the team as a whole. They had a 98% success rate on their missions and their abilities were really balanced. The only thing they were lacking was interrogation skills. That is why they need me.

I looked at Tsunade-sama and smirked. "When do I meet them?"

Tsunade-sama smiled back. "Come here tomorrow morning at 8:00am sharp and bring me that report. You will meet with the team captain then and he will get you to meet the rest of the team."

"Alright, I'll be here early tomorrow!" I stood up and bowed. "Thank you for this opportunity Tsunade-sama."

She laughed. "Don't thank me, thank yourself. You have acquired this opportunity by training hard every day and by never giving up."

I smiled back. "Thanks anyway" I turned and walked out of the office with a smile on my face.

This day just turned out to be one of the best of my life.

I actually felt good.

It was nice to be needed again, to form part of an important team, and fulfill your tasks with a 98% success rate. I squealed. _'I can't wait to meet my team'_

I slept soundly that night.

* * *

A/N: Sorry for the late update! I've hada a writers block ever since my accident playing bascketball. I promise you that I will never make you wait for five months ever again! So please forgive me! .

R&R


	7. Ch7 Naruto & Ino

The Magic of Love

Disclaimer: The basic plot of this story is based on a book written by Iliana Prieto called "La Magia del Amor". I do not own this plot. The characters used on this story belong to Masashi Kishimoto-sama.

**The Magic of Love**

**Chapter Seven**

**Naruto & Ino**

Ever since the incident with Sasuke and Sakura I've been doing nothing but training. I train every day, all day.

Literally.

Kakashi's been telling me that I'm going to get myself killed if I continue to do that. But I can't help it. I don't want to do anything but train. I'm always in the training grounds, it doesn't matter if I'm alone or with my team. I'm always training.

I always arrive earlier than Genma and obviously Kakashi and train alone until they arrive. Then, I train with them for the rest of the morning. After training we go out for lunch and then come back for a little more team training. When they leave I stay behind and only head home when I know that I only have the strength to get there and sleep.

Everyday that we are not on a mission has been the same.

Except today.

After receiving the news form Kakashi that we were going to have a new teammate, and that that new teammate is going to be Yamanaka Ino, I couldn't get myself to do anything but stare at her picture.

I told myself that I needed to train. To help get all this feeling off my mind, but I just couldn't. I've been standing in the same place, on the middle of the training grounds staring at her profile picture for the last two hours.

I just don't know what to do, how to react, what to think. _'What will I say to her? How will she treat me? Can I trust her?' _

All this questions rushed into my mind and I just don't have the answer to any of them. I haven't talked to any of my academy friends for at least two years. When I came back form my training with Jiraya, all I did was train, and the only people that I talked with were Sasuke, Sakura, and Kakashi.

I don't know why, but I never bothered to talk to any of my old friends. I thought that the only people that I needed were Sakura and Sasuke, which I considered to be my big brother and sister.

I actually considered them my only family. I thought that telling them about the Kyubi was the right thing to do, after all I trusted them, and I didn't want to hurt them or scare them if for any reason I used the fox's power.

But I was wrong.

They didn't even consider me a good ninja. I was only a burden to them. How could I be so stupid that I didn't even notice the way they treated me. They didn't even try and see the real me. And after telling them of Kyubi they thought that they were in danger when near me. When they see me they see a demon. Not a brother, not a friend, not even a person.

Just a demon.

How do I know that the rest of my old friends are not the same? How will I know that Yamanaka Ino is not the same?

I sigh. Looking at the sky I discover that it's a little bit past four. 'I even skipped lunch over this.' I look at the profile in my hands one more time and close the folder. Pleasing it on top of the rest of the folders that I notice were on a pile near me. _'Genma must've put them all together.' _Then I notice the note.

"_When you are done sulking, take them back to the tower." –Genma_

"Tch, he could've taken them himself." I kneel and take them, they were quite a few. All placed on an extremely neat pile. "If I didn't know better, he even placed them on alphabetical order, that cleaning freak."

I've known Genma for quite a while now, at first he seemed to be another lazy ninja, but after a while I noticed that he was kind of a cleaning freak. Always cleaning after himself and sometimes after the Kakashi and myself too. I confirmed it when I left my kunai and shuriken scattered all over the training area and when I returned to pick them up he already had them neatly arranged and was cleaning the last of the kunai.

Kakashi explained after that that was the way Genma was. _"You should stop by his apartment once in a while. This is nothing." _I'm still trying to find out where he lives. The bastard won't tell me.

Anyway, as I arrive to the Hokage tower I walk to were the receptionist is. "Excuse me," I give the nice lady one of my trade smiles and place the files on her desk. "I was told to bring these files back." She faked a smile and looked at me with the same eyes she always does. Eyes filled with hatred and disgust. "Leave them here, I'll take care of it" After that she returned to whatever it was she was doing before I came in. "Alright, thank you."

I was just being polite, you know? And she answered me with a "Yeah, whatever" filled with disgust. It was always like that. Everywhere I went, they looked at me with the same eyes.

I'm kind of noticing it more now that Sakura and Sasuke are not with me. People didn't stare at me so openly when they were with me. But now that I walk around town alone, I can't help but notice.

As I arrive home, I take off my shoes and walk straight to the kitchen. Skipping lunch was not a good idea. I open the fridge and all I find are a couple of rotten eggs and a carton of milk, probably expired.

'_That damned old man took my food again.'_ I close the fridge's door and walk back to the door. As I expected the lock was forced. Again. This was the second time he did it on the last two weeks. I go grocery shopping and the next day all the food is gone. And I know he did it, his smell is all over the damn place.

This has got to stop now. I don't care if he is the owner of the building I bought this apartment one year ago, and he sold it to me triple the price that it really was. He can't just come inside and steal all my food! Twice!

I put on my shoes and head straight to his door on the first floor. "Hey, old man! Open the door." I knock hard on his door and wait for him to answer. _'I don't know what he is thinking, he can't just assume that because I'm not home all day I won't notice that my food is taken? Get real! I'm a ninja, for God's sake! Even a three year old will notice!'_

I knock again. "I know you are there old man, now open the door or I will open it myself." I can hear him inside walking to the door. Then he opens it. "What do you want brat?" I look at him. He was wearing a robe and some slippers, and he looked, and smelled, like he hadn't shaved or showered in days.

"You have to stop breaking into my apartment. I let it go the first time, but I won't let you steal my food every time you get hungry." He started sweating and stuttering. "W-What are you t-talking about? I-I've never been up t-there since you bought the p-place." I sigh and pass my hand through my hair. "You think I'm an idiot? You haven't showered in days! You stink! Anyone could smell you all over my apartment!" "Y-You lie! Only demons like you can do that! No one will believe you!" I smirk. "Ah. So you admit that you were there." His expression changed to one of fear as he gave a few steps back.

This was getting out of hand. He didn't have to be this scared. "Hey, old man. Calm down." As I try to touch his arm, he slapped it away and screamed. "Stop! Don't hurt me! I won't do it again!" The fear he was showing was a bit exaggerated in my opinion, but he's always been scared of me. Nothing I do ever changes that. "I'm not going to hurt you, I promise." He took the handle of the door and tried to close it on my face, but I was faster and stopped it before he could shut it. "Leave or I will call ANBU!" "What? ANBU? I was the one robbed; I should call ANBU on you, old man." He just continued to push the door. I sigh again. "Look, just listen to me!" I open the door completely and take his hand as he tried to hit me. "Listen to me! If you ever need anything, don't steal it. Ask for it, ok? I'll help you out if you are having money problems, just ask." He continued to struggle, trying to get his hand out of my hold. '_I better let go of him before he breaks his hand.'_ I let go and he instantly closes the door on my face.

I close my eyes and take a few deep breaths. I turn around and let myself fall on the floor, using the door as support. I hug my knees to my chest and hide my face. A few tears fall from my eyes. I can't help it; I just tried to talk to him. I tried to tell him that I could help, that if he needed anything, I could help. But who in his right mind would let the demon help them.

Then I felt a hand on my head. I look up fast and find myself looking straight into the eyes of a small kid, no older than five. He was wearing some old clothes, a little big for him and his shoes where probably the oldest pair I had ever seen. And that is saying a lot, considering all my clothes and shoes were 'hand me down'. He had short brown hair and his eyes were light brown. I had never seen eyes like that. They almost looked yellow.

I was on some kind of trance until he spoke. "You ok mister?" I gasped. Never in my life had a child ever approached me. Not even when I was a child myself. It took me a moment to answer. "I'm fine" It was a simple answer but it made him smile. "You sure? The fat man was scary." He looked up to the door, a scared look on his face. "I'm really ok." I smiled at him. He smiled back. "That fat man can't scare me, I'm a ninja and ninjas don't get scared!" His eyes brightened. "You ninja? So cool!" I grinned. "I am the best there is! I'm gonna be Hokage." "Really?" "Of course, you are talking to the great Uzumaki Naruto!" I gave him my trade mark grin. He grinned back. "I want to be ninja!" "Really?" He nodded happily. "I want to be strong and protect mommy." I smiled at him and put a hand on his head. "I'm sure you will be really strong."

"Kazuo!"

It was a woman. Her clothes were old and used like the ones the boy, now known as Kazuo, wore. She had long brown hair and her eyes were the same color as Kazuo. She was standing near an open door, grabbing her apron with her hands. She looked a bit scared, and tired, the bags under her eyes gave away her fatigue. I stood up and smiled at her.

"Kazuo come here." She looked at her child and then back at the open door near her. Now that I was standing I took a good look at her. _'She is too young to be his mother, probably his sister...'_ The kid interrupted my thoughts as he ran at her. "Mommy, mommy look! A real ninja!" _'or maybe not.'_ As Kazuo arrived near her, she took his hand and smiled at him. "Kazuo, you can't be near ninjas, remember what daddy said about them? They are bad." She looked at me with a nervous look and then turned her attention back the Kazuo. "But mommy, ninjas are strong and I want to be strong to protect you." She smiled sweetly at her child and kneeled in front of him. "Baby, you don't need to protect me form anything. I'm fine." "But mommy-" "But nothing honey, now get inside." The kid looked like he wanted to cry buy contained his tears. He started walking back to the door but before going in he turned to look at me and waved. "Bye, ninja-san" I smiled. "Bye!" '_What a nice kid.'_

"Stay away from my child." I turned to look at the woman. She had a pleading look on her eyes. "Please." It was weird that instead of fear or hated, the only thing I could see in her eyes was worry. "Why? I didn't-" "I know!" Her interruption caught me by surprise. Now she was looking down at her hands. "I know you didn't do anything bad, but if my husband discovers that Kazuo was talking to a ninja, he-" She stopped talking after that. "Please, just don't talk to him anymore." This gave me a bad feeling. I felt like I had to say something to make the woman understand that I meant no harm to her child, but at the same time I knew that she knew that. The problem was the husband. "Ok, I won't." She looked at me with relief and nodded. "Thank you"

With that she went inside her apartment and closed the door. _'I didn't know that I had new neighbors. It feels kind of nice, even if they don't want me near."_ I smiled at the door. No one ever rented on this building because I lived here. _'That is probably the reason the old man is broke.'_

I put my hands inside the bags of my pants and start walking outside. _'Now I need to go grocery shopping again, what a drag.'_

_

* * *

_Grocery shopping wasn't so bad today. I only received a few glares, but not as much as other days. _'I think I'm going to make some big dinner to make up for the lunch I missed.'_ Thinking of food made my stomach growl.

I sat on my table after my big dinner, looking at my sealing and thinking of tomorrow. _'Yamanaka Ino, can I trust you?'_ I close my eyes.

Standing up and taking the dirty dishes with me I leave them in the sink_. 'I'll wash them later'_ I walk into my room and take some clean pajamas, taking them in the bathroom with me. Then, I take a long hot shower and after that decided, even if it was only eight, that it was time to call it a day.

Now, four hours later, I lay awake in my bed. I just can't stop thinking of tomorrow. What should I do? I don't know if I can trust anyone anymore. How will I know that they won't freak out when I tell them about Kyubi. It is inevitable that I tell them. If I want them to trust me completely I have to tell them, they have to be warned of the dangers that come with being in the same team as me. Then I remembered something that The Third told me many years ago.

'_Even if they think of you as something you are not, show them what you really are.' _

I remember that I was staying with him because some villagers had vandalized my apartment, and I asked him why everyone thought I was a demon. _'I can't believe I forgot that.'_ I looked outside and stared at the moon and the stars. _' Jiji, I won't ever forget those words again, and I will show this village who I really am.'_ I shooting star passed right then, and I knew that he had heard me.

* * *

The day had started good. I woke up, took a shower, ate breakfast with my father and Crocus, and headed to the Hokage tower to hand in my report. I was actually really excited about today, after all I was supposed to meet my new team leader.

I arrived on time and handed Tsunade my report. She, unexpectedly, asked me if I could give her an oral report while we waited for my new team leader. I looked at and said, "It will take a while, are you sure we will be able to finish an oral report?" She smiled at me and told me not to worry.

I gave her the report with as much detail as I could. After I finished it was already 8.40. I was kind of proud of myself after giving a report as detailed as I did, anyone would feel the same. But I was a bit worried when I noticed the time.

"Tsunade-sama, wasn't our meeting with my new team leader supposed to start by eight?" She looked at me and sighed. "You better sit down and get comfortable Ino, because we will be waiting for a while." "Why?" I looked at her with a questioning look. The way she sighed and slumped back on her chair gave it all away. This person was not going to be on time, and apparently it was not a new occurrence.

"Tsunade-sama? What are you doing?" She had closed her eyes and was trying to find a comfortable position in her chair. "Its going to take a while for Kakashi to show up, so you better take this opportunity to take a little nap."

I let myself fall on the chair that was in front of her desk. _'Kakashi-san? Isn't he leader of team seven? Why would we be waiting for him?'_ Tsunade-sama hadn't noticed my confusion and continued talking.

"That late-ass ninja never learns. I think the only way to make him be on time is betting that he will be late."

"Why?"

"Why? Well because I never win a bet."

"No, no. I mean, why Kakashi-san. Isn't he leader of team seven?"

She opened her eyes and looked at me, placing her elbows on the desk and her chin on her hands. "You mean that you don't know?" That sounded more like a statements instead of a question.

I looked at her. The way she looked back at me gave me the impression that she thought it was something I should know. What gave her that impression? I have no idea. But it was making me feel weird.

"Should I know?"

Her look didn't change. It was kind of getting on my nerves. The way she inspected me was not kind. Her look turned cold, as if trying to look for something hidden in my eyes.

She crossed her arms and asked me. "I thought that you were friends with Sakura, so I figured she would have told you that team seven was disbanded a few months ago. "That took me by surprise. "Team seven, disbanded?" She could see my surprise and continued. "This new team was created by Kakashi after that."

I couldn't help but ask. "What happened? Why did he disband it? I thought that they were a great team. I mean, with your apprentice and the last Uchiha on that team, they had a lot of requests. Didn't they?"

"They had, but that didn't mean that the team was good. Are you sure that Sakura didn't tell you this? That's why she's been working full time in the hospital." This was starting to get a bit uncomfortable.

The last time that I had talked to Sakura, she was screaming about demons and stuff, and I was not about to tell the Hokage that. So I placed my training to practice. I figured that if I could fool the Hokage, anyone else was piece of cake.

I lied.

"Well, you see Tsunade-sama," I looked down to my hands and started playing with my fingers as I talked to her. Giving a feeling that said that I was embarrassed about what I was saying. "Sakura and I got into a fight the other day, and… we kind of haven't talked in months."

When I turned back to look at her she was looking outside through the window. "Well, that explains it. That girl never tells me anything. I've been teaching her for years and I barely know her." The look on her face was one of worry and sadness. "I know for a fact that she's been hiding something form me, and every time I ask her about it she fakes innocence and changes the subject."

I gave her a knowing look when she turned. "I know what you mean Tsunade-sama. That was the reason I got mad at her. The only thing she ever talks about is Sasuke and it started getting on my nerves. She stopped going out with me and the rest of our friends, and she admitted to my face that she preferred to be with Sasuke than with any of her friends. He doesn't even care for her."

"We can always wish for her to open her eyes." She said that with so much sadness that it made me fell bad for lying to her.

In realty, Sakura did always talk about Sasuke but that was not the reason for witch I had stopped talking to her. The way she had ran into my room telling me that Naruto was a demon had changed the way I thought of her. For a moment I actually believed her. I believed that Naruto was a demon. But then after a little while it seemed kind of impossible that a boy with so many emotions and dreams like Naruto, could be a demon.

Her blindness made me furious.

I tried to make her understand that, even if the demon lived within Naruto, it didn't mean that he was the demon itself. But it was never easy talking to self-centered people, was it? Or even harder, talking to Sasuke-centred people. Those were a big challenge.

"We can always wish Tsunade-sama, we can always wish."

* * *

"Ah, Kakashi. It is nice of you to join us!"

Tsunade-sama said these words with an obviously sarcastic tone. Kakashi-san, had just entered the office and was scratching the back of his head with one hand.

"Ma~, Tsunade-sama. Sorry I'm late but I had to-"

"Save it Kakashi, I don't need to hear one of your lame excuses. I already know the reason for your lateness."

Waiting for Kakashi-san to arrive had been a new experience for me. I certainly did not believe that he would be so late. I had heard of his lateness before, from Sakura actually, she constantly told me that she was tired of her sensei's lateness. I think that I never really understood the extent of her desperation. If it was me in her place, and if I had to wait what I waited today everyday, Kakashi-san would have learned long time ago to be on time.

I would have made sure of it.

Today I wasn't as mad as I thought I would be, Tsunade-sama had told me before hand that he would be extremely late. And to pass time I had been helping Tsunade-sama with her paperwork. At first she wanted to take a nap, but Shizune came in with a bunch of papers that needed her signature before she could even close her eyes.

So, I offered my help. It was better than doing nothing.

Now that he was here I could take a good look at him. He was wearing the same clothes that he always wore. The usual jounin outfit with his usual mask and his usual headband over his eye, nothing about him had changed since the last time that I had seen him.

I stood up and walked to where he was standing. I looked at him straight in the eye and then offered him my hand. "Nice to finally meet you, captain." He smiled and took my hand. "We are not actually meeting for the first time Ino-san." I smiled at him and let go of his hand. "I know that," I walked back to my seat. "But it is the first time I meat my new team leader." Kakashi walked over to the other chair that was beside mine and sat down before continuing. "You are not on the team yet Ino-san" I smiled. "'Yet' being the key word."

"Right. So, shall we start this meeting and see if Ino is what your team needs Kakashi?" Kakashi turned to look at Tsunade-sama and nodded. "Yes, lets not waste more time."

Tsunade took some papers form her desk and stared at them. "Ok, so the reason you need an interrogator on your team is because of the failure on your last mission. Am I correct?"

"Yes, that is correct. On our last mission we were supposed to interrogate a man, but we needed to do it fast, and we didn't know of a way to do it."

"Is this is the only time your team has failed to interrogate the subject?" I asked. They turned to look at me with a weird look. _'What is their problem? I'm just asking.'_ Kakashi-san was the one to answer my question.

"Yes it was, why do you ask?"

"Well because in the report I read yesterday it said that you had done some interrogations before. If you were able to do those interrogations I don't see why you weren't able to do this one." It was pretty logical. If they had been doing interrogations before, why would they need an interrogator?

"The reason, Ino-san, is time."

I looked form Kakashi-san, to Tsunade-sama and then back to Kakashi-san. "Time?"

"It's really simple Ino." I turned to Tsunade-sama as she started speaking. "On their team Kakashi and Genma are both able to interrogate, but it is more like torture."

'_Oh, now I get it. They know how to interrogate by torture and that takes time. Which they didn't have on their last mission.'_ I nodded. "Now I get it. So you need an interrogator that can get answers fast so that what happened on your last mission does not happen again."

Tsunade-sama nodded. "Correct"

I smiled. "Then I'm what you've been looking for." I looked at Kakashi-san straight in his eye. It is pretty hard to know what he is thinking because of all the things he wears on his face. But, his relaxed posture showed me that he was satisfied with my personality even if he still still wanted some type of proof that I was good.

Just for my luck Tsunade-sama took out my complete profile. I knew that on it was a written report of all my interrogations as an apprentice. She handed it to Kakashi.

"This is a report on her abilities from when she was an apprentice. It was written by Ibiki himself." Kakashi-san took it and started reading instantly. I just watched him while he read. His expression was one of boredom but then it changed. He lifted his eyebrow and nodded. " This is quite impressive Ino-san, to be able to get the truth out of a man in less than a minute, and you didn't even have to touch him. What jutsu were you using?"

I remember that time, the guy was a thief and he had stolen a scroll form the Aburame compound. " I used one of my family jutsus to read his memories and find his greatest fear, then I threatened him with it. It was pretty simple."

Kakashi-san nodded and started a conversation with Tsunade-sama. I tried hard to concentrate on what they were saying but the memory of that thief was now bothering me. I remember clearly that I used his greatest fear and got out of him the place in which he had hidden the scroll. But the thing is that, his fear, were foxes. Or more specially, the Kyubi.

In his memory I could see the gigantic fox destroying Konoha, but I remember that I was a bit confused because just after that memory I found one in which this man was walking on the streets and accidentally bumped with a kid, and I could feel his fear.

I knew who that kid was.

'_Even when he was a kid he was feared.'_

I was so into my thoughts that I didn't notice Kakashi-san and Tsunade-sama calling my name.

"-o-san"

"Ino?"

"Huh? Oh! I'm sorry, I was just thinking of something."

They were looking at me with a bit of concern, but brushed it off when I gave them my answer. Then Kakashi-san said. "It's time for us to go meet the rest of the team, they must be waiting for us."

"Right! Let's not make them wait to much." I stood and faced Tusnade-sama. "We'll be on our way then." I bowed. "I expect great things form this team." Tsunade-sama smiled at me and looked at Kakashi. "Don't you dare disappoint me." Kakashi-san bowed. "No worries Tsunade-sama"

With that he started walking out the room. I hurried to follow him. "Ino," I turned. Tsunade-sama had a look of worry on her face. I was going to ask what was wrong but she talked before me. "I trust you."

I looked straight in her eyes and could see, together with all that worry a bit of hope. I didn't know what to say, so I just nodded and walked out the room. It was weird how she had said that. There must be a meaning to it. I'll try to find out next time I see her.

Kakashi-san had been walking in front of me and turned to ask me something. "Are you ready Ino-san?" His question was a little weird, but I understood what he meant. _'Are you ready to meet them?'_

I smiled.

"As ready as I'll ever be."

* * *

When I fell asleep yesterday night I thought that coming to the ramen stand to meet Yamanaka Ino was going to be easier. I was feeling pretty confident then. But right now I can't help but be nervous.

No, I'm not nervous.

I'm scared.

I thought that I was going to be able to face her and be myself, no matter if she hates me and looks at me with the same eyes as everyone else. I thought that it wouldn't matter, that I could overcome it and just act like I always do.

But then I remember the pain I felt when I saw that look in the eyes of two of my precious people, and I just …

I don't want to feel like that again.

"Hey Naruto, you're here early. I thought I was going to be the first to arrive." I was Genma, he sat in the chair in front of me and stared at me. "Have you eaten yet or are you waiting for Kakashi?" He was playing with the senbon in his mouth like always and had that carefree look on his face. I feel kind of stupid now, how can I be so scared of meeting someone?

"Hey dude, you ok?"

I grined. "I'm perfectly fine. Why would you ask?"

"Oh, no reason."

Telling Genma that I feel nervous or scared of meeting Yamanaka Ino was out of the question. _'This is something that I have to figure out by myself. At least I have one or two more hours. It's already lunch time but knowing Kakashi we'll have to wait a bit for him to arrive.'_

I need to calm down.

"Hey look! It's Kakashi." Genma was looking straight behind me and had a surprised look on his eyes.

"He's on time and it looks that he has the interrogator with him. That's a first."

'_She's already here?' _

I couldn't turn. I felt as if my heart was going to come out of my chest. I couldn't here anything but its beating.

"Here we are Ino-san."

I could here Kakashi approaching from behind me.

"Hey there Kakashi, you finally decided to arrive on time, or is it only to impress the young lady with you."

Genma was already speaking with them that meant that they were closer than I thought.

"He was three hours late to our meeting with the Hokage, I am certainly not impressed."

That was her! Her voice was a bit different from what I remembered it to be but I knew it was her. Genma laughed as he stood up and walked towards them.

"My name is Shiranui Genma, and you must be Yamanaka Ino-san."

"That is me; it's nice to meet you Genma-san."

The beating of my heart was so loud, I could barely make out Genma's introduction. I closed my hands, my nails almost cutting through the skin in them. _'I have to control my emotions, I can't let her see me all scared.'_

"Let's sit down and have lunch. Naruto must be starving, he even arrived before me."

"Naruto?"

Shit. She's noticed me now. I can here her footsteps as she approaches me form behind. Then I feel her hand on my shoulder and I can't help but turn and look at her. I thought that I would find a look filled with disgust, or fear, or hate. I mean, she is Sakura's best friend, and it is probable that she told Ino my secret. I was really expecting the worst. But when I turned I was totally caught off guard.

She was smiling.

* * *

Walking with Kakashi-san to the ramen stand were we were meeting the rest of the team was not as awkward as I thought it would've been. Now that I've been accepted on the team I realize that I don't know who the other two members of the team are. And walking beside the only person on the team that I know helped calm my nerves.

'_What if they are older ninjas? Or perverts? Or maybe crazy assassins with a thirst for blood?'_ Now that I think about it I should've asked who they were before accepting the invitation.

We were approaching a well known ramen stand. 'Ichiraku' I think it was called. I remember that team 7 ate here a lot. It was a bit bigger than what I remember it being. It must be having good business lately.

I could see that it was almost empty, there were a few people sitting on the stools. But there were two men sitting on a table for four. _'That must be them.' _Kakashi was waving at the man that was sitting on the table facing us. He said something to the guy in front of him, and then he turned to smile at our direction. He had a senbon on his mouth. I remember someone like that, but I can't really tell from where. _'Well, it doesn't matter, I'll ask him later.'_

"Here we are Ino-san"

I smiled back at the man in the table, then I heard him say.

"Hey there Kakashi, you finally decided to arrive on time, or is it only to impress the young lady with you."

It was pretty funny, because he certainly was not on time to our meeting earlier, and I was still kind of pissed at him for that. So I decided to answer for him.

"He was three hours late to our meeting with the Hokage, I am certainly not impressed."

The guy laughed and stood up form the table. He approached us with a smile and then offered his hand to me. "My name is Shiranui Genma, and you must be Yamanaka Ino-san." I took his hand and shook it hard. "That is me; it's nice to meet you Genma-san."

The other guy in the table was not showing any sign of moving. Actually now that I take a good look at him his blond hair and weird black with orange clothes were familiar. _'It's him?'_

The only way of confirming my suspicions was if I approached him, but by looking at the way his shoulders were lifted up and his hands were in fists made me understand one thing.

He was scared.

'_But of what?'_

It was kind of weird, seeing him here, and knowing that he will be on my team. It was probably the last person on my list to be on a time like EDG. But I am actually happy that he is on my team. That way I can get to know the real him and not the false Naruto that is described by everyone I know.

I decided then that It didn't matter why or of what he was scared. I was going to be his friend and help him overcome all his troubles.

I was going to show him that he could trust me.

"Let's sit down and have lunch. Naruto must be starving, he even arrived before me."

Genma-san was caught a bit off guard when I shoved him to a side and walked pass him and directly to where Naruto was sitting.

"Naruto?"

I called his name but he didn't turn. So I did the next thing that came to my mind.

I placed my hand on his shoulder and as he turned I smiled.

I could see the fear I his eyes, but with my smile that fear was rapidly changing to surprise.

It was really good to see him here. I had been waiting for a chance to talk to him, and now that we were going to be on the same team I had the chance I was looking for.

"Hey! It's been a long time since we last talked!"

The look of disbelief in his eyes, screamed all his feelings at me. I now knew that he had been scared of my reaction to his presence on the team. And I wanted, more than anything to make him understand that I was not going to hurt him.

That he could trust me.

I extended my hand and offered it to him.

"Let's get to know each other and have some fun ok?"

I wanted to ask him so many things, I wanted to know so much about him. But I knew that if I wanted to be close to him I had to win his trust. And I planed to do just that.

So just as I felt that his hand was on mine, I held it strong and gave him a big smile.

And you know what…

…he smiled back.

* * *

A/N: Well, this is chapter 7. I've been working on it for a couple of days, I didn't know how 'the meeting' was going to be. But it eventually came out this way. I hope that you liked it.

Anyway, again I'm sorry for the wait, but I've been having a lot of exams and I need to prepare for my college exams too. I know it is not a excuse to be so late with the updates but I really can't help it. I took the oportunity to write this chapter because of all the sickness that has been going around as of late. School was canceled and I've been doing nothing. So I think that next chapter will be out very soon.

Let's see what happens.

It was brought to my attention that there are some doubts concerning the time on this story.

Well just so you know there will be a time line posted on my profile for you to read if you have doubts.

Please if you have any comments or questions to make, please, please, please review!

Tell me what you think!

Until next time!

HT-chan.


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